Reason Britain's 'most dangerous killer' will spend Christmas Day in a glass box underground
Here is the mean why the man who was previously dubbed Britain's 'most dangerous killer' will be spending Christmas Day in solitary confinement.
Spending the rest of your life locked away in a standard prison cell is a pretty grim prospect as it is, which means the idea of being locked underground in a glass box sounds almost unthinkable.
Yet it is the daily life for Britain's longest serving prisoner.
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Nicknamed 'Hannibal The Cannibal', Robert Maudsley, 71, is currently serving a life sentence at HMP Wakefield for the murders of four men, three of which occurred while he was either in prison or inpatient at a psychiatric hospital.
Born in Liverpool in 1953, Maudsley and was allegedly abused by his parents, which he claimed had left psychological scars.
Maudsley's first victim was a man named John Farrell, who he encountered in London.
Maudsley had garrotted him after Farrell revealed images of children he had sexually abused.
His second murder would take place in Broadmoor Hospital in 1977, with the killing earning Maudsley the nickname 'Hannibal The Cannibal' due to erroneous reports that he ate his victim after driving a spoon into his brain - however, the cannibalism rumors were found to be false.
He was subsequently moved to HMP Wakefield where he would embark on a killing spree the following year, murdering Salney Darwood and William Roberts before confessing to a nearby parole officer.
The killings, plus the fact that Maudsley had apparently said that he was a threat to rapists, paedophiles and sex offenders, meant that he was deemed 'too dangerous' for mainstream prison and moved to solitary confinement.
His new cell is a 18ft by 15ft glass box underground with bulletproof windows. Inside, Maudsley has toilet and sink bolted to the floor as well as a table and chair made from compressed cardboard.
This is where he spends 23 out of 24 hours every day, which includes Christmas Day, The Mirror reports.
According to the Daily Star, Maudsley lost an appeal to be allowed back into the general prison population back in 2021 and will now spend the rest of his life in solitary confinement.
"He was told no last month but appealed against the decision and wanted to spend Christmas in the presence of other humans. But he’s just been told no for the final time," a source told the Daily Star at the time.
"Being alone for that long does something to you. He isn’t okay and they cannot take the risk of what he might do. They simply cannot take the risk."
LADbible has contacted HMP Wakefield for comment.
Brenna Cooper